title: Effects of acute alpha 2-blockade on insulin action and secretion in humans.
abstract: We tested whether acute alpha 2-blockade affects insulin secretion, glucose and fat metabolism, thermogenesis, and hemodynamics in humans. During a 5-h epinephrine infusion (50 ng.min-1.kg-1) in five volunteers, deriglidole, a selective alpha 2-receptor inhibitor, led to a more sustained rise in plasma insulin and C-peptide levels (+59 +/- 14 vs. +28 +/- 6, and +273 +/- 18 vs. +53 +/- 14 pM, P < 0.01 vs. placebo) despite a smaller rise in plasma glucose (+0.90 +/- 0.4 vs. +1.5 +/- 0.3 mM, P < 0.01). Another 10 subjects were studied in the postabsorptive state and during a 4-h hyperglycemic (+4 mM) clamp, coupled with the ingestion of 75 g of glucose at 2 h. In the postabsorptive state, hepatic glucose production, resting energy expenditure, and plasma insulin, free fatty acid (FFA), and potassium concentrations were not affected by acute alpha 2-blockade. Hyperglycemia elicited a biphasic rise in plasma insulin (to a peak of 140 +/- 24 pM), C-peptide levels (1,520 +/- 344 pM), and insulin secretion (to 410 +/- 22 pmol/min); superimposed glucose ingestion elicited a further twofold rise in insulin and C-peptide levels, and insulin secretion. However, alpha 2-blockade failed to change these secretory responses. Fasting blood beta-hydroxybutyrate and glycerol and plasma FFA and potassium concentrations all declined with hyperglycemia; time course and extent of these changes were not affected by alpha 2-blockade. Resting energy expenditure (+25 vs. +16%, P < 0.01) and external cardiac work (+28% vs. +19%, P < 0.01) showed larger increments after alpha 2-blockade. We conclude that acute alpha 2-blockade in humans 1) prevents epinephrine-induced inhibition of insulin secretion, 2) does not potentiate basal or intravenous- or oral glucose-induced insulin release, 3) enhances thermogenesis, and 4) increases cardiac work.
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Unit, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natali
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gastaldelli
authors.forename: A Q
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Galvan
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sironi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciociaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrannini
mesh_terms: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007093:Imidazoles; D007211:Indoles; D007328:Insulin; C097987:deriglidole; D004837:Epinephrine